1. Field of Invention
This invention is in the general field of load-bearing structures and, more particularly, is a load bearing structure made from an expanded polystyrene core that is chemically combined with high impact polystyrene.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A shipping pallet is a well known load-bearing, moveable platform whereon articles are placed for shipment. The pallet usually is loaded with a multiplicity of items, such as cartons or boxes. The loaded pallet is movable with either a pallet truck or a forklift.
There is a nine billion dollar market for pallets in the United States. There is a thirty billion dollar world wide market. Approximately ninety percent of these markets is for pallets made from wood.
The weight of the wood pallet is in a range of forty to seventy pounds. Therefore, the weight of a cargo shipped on the wood pallet is reduced by from forty to seventy pounds to provide for the weight of the wood pallet.
It should be understood that injuries caused by wood splinters and nails are frequent occurrences among people who handle the wood pallet. Additionally, disposal of the wood pallet at the end of its useful life is a threat to the environment.
There has been concern among nations about the use of the wood pallet causing an import of wood-boring insects, including the Asian Longhorned Beetle, the Asian Cerambycid Beetle, the Pine Wood Nematode, the Pine Wilt Nematode and the Anoplophora Glapripwnnis. Exemplary of damage caused by imported insects is the fate of the Chestnut Tree in the United States. There was a time when it was said that a squirrel could cross the United States on Chestnut Tree limbs without ever touching the ground. Insect infestation has caused the extinction of the Chestnut Tree in the United States.
Therefore, the wood pallet""s weight, the injuries that it causes, its threat to the environment and the possibility its causing an importation of wood-boring insects militates against the use of the wood pallet. As explained hereinafter, there is an attractive alternative to the wood pallet.
An object of the invention is an easily movable load bearing structure that is not likely to carry wood-boring insects.
Another object of the invention is a movable load bearing structure that does not have splinters and nails that may cause injury.
According to the present invention, a dunnage platform has an expanded polystyrene core with a region proximal to its surface that is chemically combined with a high impact polystyrene.
Because of a chemical combination of components, comparing the core before the chemical combination to the dunnage platform that is formed, there is an increase in strength to weight ratio of as much as 1000:1 that allows the dunnage platform to carry loads comparable to loads carried by a wooden pallet. The dunnage platform does not support insect life and does not have splinters and nails that cause injury.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention should be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.